When Varian woke up the next morning there was only two things he was fully sure of. The first; that Ragnor Fell had something to do with the magic keeping Jocelyn Fairchild in her suspended prison, though he didn't really want to think about her at the moment. And the second;
"I'm leaving baba."
"It's Alec, isn't it?" His baba didn't question his want to leave, but rather he waved his hand and the pair watched as his bag began to pack itself.
"Maybe." Varian sighed, feeling unsure and lacking confidence in himself. "But it's also Clarissa, and Jocelyn, and Luke, whose already figured out who I am."
Varian relaxed into the couch as he spoke, breathing in the smell of his cocoa as he looked over the steaming mug at his baba.
Magnus Bane was visibly sad about the situation. His worst fear was loosing his son, whether that was to a Downworlder, a vengeful Shadowhunter, or even to the boys own magic. But some part of him never thought he would loose his son to the mother that gave him up all those years ago.
"You won't." Varian interrupted his baba's train of thought, looking away from his baba as he sipped from his mug.
His baba smiled as he shook his head. "I hate it when you do that."
"I'll miss you, but I won't be gone for long." Varian changed the subject as he stood. The mug disappeared from his hands and Varian stretched his arms above his head. "Ragnor is expecting me."
"Give him my love." Magnus' reply came with ease and a smile. He stood to tell his son goodbye officially.
Varian started towards his bedroom before stopping suddenly and slapping a hand to his forehead. "Oh bother. I forgot about Simon. He's got a key, and blood in the fridge." He turned to face his baba, smiling in a way that made his baba very aware that he wanted to ask a favor. "Could you come by? Maybe tomorrow before- just to check on him?"
Magnus noticed the interruption in Varian's words. Tomorrow was a day that Varian did not want to think about.
Varian watched as his baba smiled at his sentimentality, before nodding and promising that he would. He felt strange as he grabbed his bag from his room and stepped back into the living room of the flat. Varian wrapped his arm around his baba in a hug goodbye before lifting his backpack onto his shoulder.
"You're going to the wedding." It was a statement, not a question.
His baba sighed, a heavy breathy sigh that told his son all that he needed to know, but he spoke nonetheless. "Lydia asked me to, as a thank you for the help I've provided."
Varian's hum was his baba's  only way of knowing that he had even heard him.
"You could come? I'm sure Ragnor would be alright with you leaving a day early." Varian knew that his baba was right, but he shook his head.
It pained Varian to watch this happen. To watch someone that he had so quickly begun to like marry someone else. There was something behind the marriage, a benefit of some kind, or a secret. It wouldn't be a happy marriage, but it was a marriage nonetheless.
"It wouldn't be good, for either of us." Varian muttered dejectedly, before shaking his head and pulling a smile back onto his face. "Besides, I'll be with Ragnor and learning more powerful magic."
He ended it in a light joking tone, nudging his baba with his shoulder before smiling. Varian started to say something else, but he was suddenly interrupted. His calling card flew through the air, coming from nowhere, Varian snatched it with an easy hand.
"It's the Institute." Varian groaned, starting to take his backpack off but his baba stopped him with a light hand.
"I'll handle it." His baba waved his hand, easily creating a portal for Varian and motioning for him to go on through. "I will see you soon. I love you Birdie."
Varian smiled in thanks, before speaking. "I love you too baba, goodbye."
Varian turned to face the portal, his shoulders lifted as he took a visible deep breath, the location of Ragnor Fell's country estate coming to mind as he stepped through.
He stumbled as he landed on the other side, but he didn't fall.
The house was up a hill, as the portal wasn't able to pass through Ragnor's strong protection wards. But Varian didn't mind the walk, it gave him the chance to clear his mind fully and wonder what the real reason behind Ragnor wanting him to visit was.
Varian grew up visiting Ragnor Fell and his dozen's of homes, a side effect of his baba being one of Ragnor's oldest and closest friends. Ragnor was one of the few Warlocks beside Varian's baba to have a hand in Varian's training.
Ragnor Fell was also a Warlock, if that wasn't already obvious, and once upon a time he was the High Warlock of London, though now he is much more of a recluse. The man's Warlock marks made him reluctant to enter into public society, more so now than in his youth. His pure white hair and little curled horns a subtle nod to his Warlock-ness, while the more unique touch of pale green skin made the man appear rather brilliant in any company.
"Ragnor." Varian's voice was soft when his eyes landed on the ancient Warlock tending to his garden.
The man looked up in surprise, nearly loosing his balance before standing. Ragnor's eyes lit up when the landed on the young Secondhand Warlock, he crossed the garden in three large steps, wrapping his arms tightly around the young man.
It was the kind of hug that everyone needs on their bad days. When someone wraps their arms around so completely, and holds so tightly, like the world was on mute and it was just the comforting hug that made the word turn.
"Hello my boy." Ragnor's throaty Welsh accent sounded in Varian's ear before he stepped back and looked down at the boy. "It's good to see you again. Now, lets get ya inside for a cuppa and some decent conversation."
"That would be brilliant." Varian sighed in happiness, muttering a thank you as Ragnor took his backpack from his shoulder.
When Varian and Ragnor stepped into the house, Varian was nearly overwhelmed by the amount of pulsing magic coming from every corner of the house. Ragnor supplied (as promised) a steaming cup of tea, and the conversation continued on a happy note.
There were updates on each others lives, and Varian learned of the Mundane lucky enough to have Ragnor's affection, then like most conversations in recent days, it turned somber.
Ragnor set his mug down, frowning slightly, the blush-pink decorating the air around him turning to navy blue in a symbol of sadness. "I asked you hear for a little more than good conversation.
Varian nodded, sighing as he took another sip from his mug. "I gathered."
Ragnor hummed, a light smile on his face. "I am fading, my end is near, and I do not want to leave this world without leaving something behind."
Ragnor was nearly nine hundred years old, and though Varian wanted to protest his death, he knew that he couldn't.
"I am sorry Ragnor." It was all that Varian felt he could say in the situation.
"Don't be my boy." Ragnor smiled and stood, patting Varian's way in an attempt of being comforting. Varian stood, following Ragnor as he walked through the house, continuing to speak as he did. "I've lived, I've laughed, I've loved. I've seen empires rise and fall and saved so many lives."
Ragnor's voice had a sad edge to it, and Varian could see the tinge of yellow-blue showing how reminiscent Ragnor was feeling about his life. Varian eyes trailed around the rooms and hallways that they passed through, smiling at Ragnor's artifacts that decorated the walls.
The man was of course right, he had lived a wonderful life. Varian did not want to see him die, but there was nothing he could do for him other then see that he was there in the end.
"I want you to be my sole heir."
Varian paused, the words seemed to echo throughout the room, it was a shock to his system, and he felt almost sick thinking about it.
Ragnor smiled down at him, placing a hand on his shoulder as he smiled a tight lipped smile. "I want you to inherit my magic and become a full Warlock."